Gordon Hirabayashi Campground on Catalina Highway

Date & Time: 
March 17, 2017 -
9:30am to 1:00pm
Meeting Place: 
McDonald’s/Safeway parking lot at the intersection of Tanque Verde Road and Catalina Highway.
Trip Leader: 
Larry Fellows
Special Notes: 
Carpooling is encouraged, although parking at the campground should not be a major problem. A National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass (Annual, Senior, Access, Military, Volunteer, Golden Age or Golden Access) or a fee is required for parking at this location.

 

Trip Description: We’ll walk along the Arizona Trail and a sandy wash, approximately 1.5-2 mi. round trip.  Rhus trilobata (Skunk Bush) is blooming but Manzanitas are largely through blooming.  We’ll be looking for Brown Elfins, AZ Hairstreaks, Juniper Hairstreaks, Sara Orangetips, and possibly Spring Whites, as well as other species.

 

Type of terrain: Much of the walking will be along the rocky, sandy Arizona Trail.  We’ll also spend time along the main wash, which is dry and sandy.  Part of the time we’ll bushwhack along rocky hillsides and/or minor washes with no trails.

 

'Siva' Juniper Hairstreak photo by Larry Fellows

 

Trip Butterfly Reports: 

Six SEABA members spent about 3 hours scouring the blooming skunkbush and manzanitas along the AZ Trail from Gordon Hirabayashi campground on a beautiful late spring day. Butterflies seen:

Pipevine Swallowtail  Battus philenor

Black Swallowtail  Papilio polyxenes

Two-tailed Swallowtail  Papilio multicaudata

Spring White  Pontia sisymbrii

Checkered  White Pontia protodice (possibly)

Pearly Marble  Euchloe hyantis

Pima Orangetip  Anthocharis cethura pima

Sara Orangetip  Anthocharis sara

Southern Dogface  Colias cesonia   

Cloudless Sulphur  Phoebis sennae

Mexican Yellow   Eurema mexicana

Sleepy Orange  Eurema nicippe

Dainty Sulphur  Nathalis iole

Great Purple Hairstreak  Atlides halesus

Brown Elfin  Callophrys augustinus

'Siva' Juniper Hairstreak  Callophrys gryneus siva

Gray Hairstreak  Strymon melinus

Leda Ministreak  Ministrymon leda

'Echo' Spring Azure  Celastrina ladon echo

American Snout  Libytheana carinenta

Gulf Fritillary  Agraulis vanillae

Tiny Checkerspot  Dymasia dymas

Texan Crescent  Phyciodes texana

Mylitta Crescent  Phyciodes mylitta (at Chihuahua Pine Picnic Area)

Painted Lady  Vanessa cardui

Red Admiral  Vanessa atalanta

Common Buckeye  Junonia coenia

Golden-headed Scallopwing  Staphylus ceos

Mournful Duskywing  Erynnis tristis

Pacuvius Duskywing  Erynnis pacuvius (at Chihuahua Pine Picnic Area)

Funereal Duskywing  Erynnis funeralis

'White' Common Checkered-Skipper  Pyrgus communis albescens

Orange Skipperling  Copaeodes aurantiacus

 

Leader email: 
rockpix@comcast.net

General Information

Beginners are welcome on all field trips! Experienced members will share their butterfly knowledge and expertise with all field trip participants. Children accompanied by a responsible adult are welcome on SEABA field trips. A donation of $5 per person to benefit SEABA will be appreciated. Carpooling from the meeting place is encouraged and it is kind to share gas expenses. If high clearance vehicles are required for a trip, it will be noted in individual trip descriptions. Dress for the field with sturdy shoes, hat, sunscreen, and insect repellent. Bring your own water, snacks, and lunch. Close-focusing binoculars, cameras, and field guides will be helpful aids for butterfly observation and identification. Trips usually end by mid-afternoon unless noted differently in individual trip descriptions.

Please be aware that:

1. Collecting or netting is NOT allowed on SEABA field trips.

2. Pets, with the exception of service animals, are NOT allowed on SEABA field trips.

3. All field trip participants are required to sign SEABA's Release and Assumption of Risk form at the beginning of the trip. The form may be viewed at SEABA Release.

4. Please arrive a few minutes prior to the meeting time posted for trips to facilitate paperwork and introductions to other trip participants.

5. Field trips may be cancelled or rescheduled on short notice due to changing weather or road conditions. Please check the website for updates prior to the Field Trip.

 

Our Southeastern Arizona Butterfly Checklist can be downloaded here. Please note that the SEABA checklist is copyrighted.

Local NABA Butterfly Counts are listed at NABA Counts

Field trips organized by the Central Arizona Butterfly Association are listed at their website: CAzBA.